RSM act on pioneering NHS England diabetes prevention pilot

15 November 2017

RSM has been appointed by NHS England to support the implementation and evaluation of the interventions from an innovative study which aims to prevent or delay onset Type 2 diabetes in at risk patients.

RSM will be working alongside NHS England, Public Health England and Diabetes UK who have teamed up with leading companies from the tech sector as the battle against obesity and Type 2 diabetes goes digital.

More than 5,000 people are expected to benefit from a pilot project which will see five companies and eight areas of the country test drive a range of apps, gadgets, wristbands and other innovative digital products, which starts this month.

Users will be able to access health coaches and online support groups as well as set and monitor goals electronically. Some patients will also receive wearable technology to help them monitor activity levels and receive motivational messages and prompts, which is being made available on the NHS for the first time.

This online method of receiving support has the potential to help bring down high blood sugar levels and in turn prevent or delay onset of Type 2 diabetes.

Heathier You: The NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme was officially launched last year to support people who are at high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Those referred on to the face-to-face programme get tailored, personalised help, this includes; education on lifestyle choices, advice on how to reduce weight through healthier eating and bespoke physical activity programmes, which together have been proven to reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

This new pilot offers similar support, assistance and guidance but through the use of the new digital interventions. Patients will be recruited over a six month period and will be given access to the digital products for up to 12 months.

Jenny Irwin, economic consulting partner at RSM who will lead on the evaluation, said:

‘The digital pilot is a pioneering project. It provides digital providers with the opportunity to further test their interventions whilst providing people at risk of type 2 diabetes in the target sites the opportunity to try new and emerging interventions. The data and evidence collected and analysed from this work will be key to informing future support.’

Simon Stevens, CEO of NHS England said:

‘So much else in our lives is now about online social connection and support, and that now needs to be true too for the modern NHS. This new programme is the latest example of how the NHS is now getting practical and getting serious about new ways of supporting people stay healthy.’

‘Tackling obesity and the rising prevalence of Type 2 diabetes are the major public health challenges of our time. By April next year we will be providing the diabetes prevention programme to the whole of England - an evidence-based face-to-face programme that prevents or delays onset of Type 2 diabetes in those at high risk. Through this initiative, we have the potential to establish the effectiveness of digital interventions to do the same, so that the reach of the programme will be even greater.’

Duncan Selbie, chief executive at Public Health England, said:

‘This breaks new ground to help those at risk of Type 2 diabetes quite literally take their health into their own hands. Many of us use on-the-go digital technology every day and this is a logical next step in diabetes prevention.’

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